After a successful trip to Staines last week, the men’s 3s were back on home soil this week hoping to continue their recent hot streak. Several injuries and absences meant a shuffling of the pack, but nevertheless they were confident going into this game against the league’s bottom side, Oxford, knowing that another win should be enough to see them safe this season.
The home side got things under way and set the tone for the game with a period of controlled possession. The predominantly younger legs of Oxford sought to press energetically, chasing and closing things down quickly, but Henley kept the ball with great composure, particularly around the back line of Nichols, Conway-Hughes, Roberts, and Latchford, playing with patience and waiting for the openings to push forward threaten the Oxford goal. Several dangerous opportunities came and went though as Henley struggled to click as a unit in attack and on the occasions they did, the Oxford keeper made some impressive saves.
At the other end, Henley had largely been comfortable against the Oxford threat, but with 2 or 3 stand-out players making things happen individually, they did cause a few nervy moments, particularly with a succession of short corners towards the end of the half. Defence held firm though, with Alex McDonald-Smith charging out well to close them down quickly, and Dave Bowyer equal to the few shots that did make it goal-bound.
The second half had a similar pattern, with the more controlled possession of Henley up against Oxford’s more speculative approach, but Henley gradually started to better exploit the space in attack and threaten more directly, with Jamie Taylor and James Rechner in particular causing problems with their direct running and skills to puncture the D and earn Henley a few short corners.
It was from one of these short corners that Henley eventually took the lead, with Jamie Taylor slipping the ball left to be swept in towards the in-rushing Guy Harmer to slot it in behind the helpless keeper.
This proved to be the only goal of the game which made for a nervier finish than the flow of the game would have suggested, but Henley saw out a spell of late pressure to keep the clean sheet and take all 3 points. The latest in an impressive 5 game winning streak that has taken them from the bottom of the table at the start of February up to 6th place now.
This week Henley travel to neighbours Sonning hoping to extend that run further, but with Sonning having just belied their league position with a win at table-topping Abingdon, it will inevitably be another tough proposition for which they will need to be at their best.